artisticliberty | [imeeji

A: That sounds nice.
A: If you're not busy now, I can come over once I've had a shower.

Fox: I will be here.

[A will show up at Taisho's door in around an hour, clean and groomed and wearing a brand new outfit]

[fox answers it, looking similarly]

Come in. You are looking well.

[there are two steaming mugs of tea along with a plate of some japanese sweets on the table for them]

Thank you. All of this looks delicious.

[taking his seat]

Help yourself.

[fox will take a seat and nurse his tea as he's not hungry, for some reason?]

How is AlcheME?

Hunkering down to lick our wounds, for the most part, but ultimately we'll be fine.

[picks up his own tea]

And Taisho?

The same, more or less. It feels like the others are handling themselves far better than I am. Well... Kaguya is having a difficult time. But she has Zero to support her. I wonder if he isn't pushing aside his own pain in order to care for her, but I couldn't say he was wrong for doing so. Skylark seems largely unbothered by the entire thing, which I have to admit I am slightly envious of. And our newest, Auracite, is... well. I can only imagine what he is suffering right now.

Shu was spared the worst of it. For that, at least, I am grateful. It feels like we've had more visitors here in the past 24 hours than we have in months.

[wow I don't know who most of these people even are]

...Mm. It's natural to want to reach out to others in times like these.

It is. These moments of rest and respite we have now... we must all surely need.

[...]

I had some points saved up, so I used them to remove most of the scars from the game--including yours.

Mm. I"m doing the same. Thus far I've taken care of anything not covered by my clothing.

Does it ever feel like you're a rag doll that keeps getting sewn back up for another round of playing?

Yes. That's exactly how it feels.

[a few tails pop up as he frowns deeply, swishing unhappily]

What an insult to our dignities.

[peering into his cup]

I think I've always felt that way.

[and then immediately backpedaling]

—Sorry. I always say such stupid things when I'm around you, don't I?

I do not think it is stupid. I would prefer you to speak honestly with me, when you can.

Honesty is subjective and multi-faceted. The worst version of myself is not the form of honesty that I wish to convey.

Do you think your "honest self" and your "worst self" are the same?

Not... entirely, no.

Just somewhat.

[not judgmental-sounding, just confirming]

There's a Venn diagram there. The overlap is larger than I would like.

[grabbing a piece of candy]

I am glad for the distinction... as I said, I like it when you are honest. I should be more encouraging of that.

It's not as though I intend to be dishonest with you. Or Joker, or Prim, or anyone else who has voiced this sentiment. There's only one person I've truly set out to lie to.

Who?

You're looking at him.

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